Plastic groove former

ABSTRACT

This application discloses a groove former and seal which includes an outer container within which an inner expandible compressor or seal is confined so that when the container is closed with the seal inside of it, it can be used to form a groove in the highway while the paving material is in its wet or plastic condition, and after the paving material has become hardened or set, the container is released from the position in which it compresses the inner seal so that this seal then expands and forces the outer container into watertight connection with the walls of the groove.

United States Patent Alfred F. Crone Williamsville, N.Y.

July 22, 1968 July 20, 1971 Acme Highway Products Corporation Buffalo, N.Y.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee PLASTIC GROOVE FORMER 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

94/18 E0lc 11/10 Field of Search 94/18, 51

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1932 Thompson 10/1966 Rhodes .1

Dreher Hahn .v Crone Webb Fujihara Webb Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenlhoff Attorney-Christie & Bean ABSTRACT: This application discloses a groove former and seal which includes an outer container within which an inner expandible compressor or seal is confined so that when the container is closed with the seal inside of it, it can be used to form a groove in the highway while the paving material is in its wet or plastic condition, and after the paving material has become hardened or set, the container is released from the position in which it compresses the inner seal so that this seal then expands and forces the outer container into w connection with the walls of the groove.

atertight PATENTEU JUL 20 En SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

PATENTED JUL20 r971 SHEET 2 [IF 2 ATTORNEYS.

PLASTIC GROUT E FUIITIWIER One object of the invention is to provide a device of this type having an outer container which is made of a material which is sufficiently rigid to compress an inner sealing member so that the device may be used as a groove former and which is provided with a confining medium which holds the container in closed position while the groove is being formed and which when released permits the sides of the container to be bulged outwardly by the inner sealing member to form a seal in the groove.

Another object is to provide a groove former of this type in which the outer container is held in closed position by means of a cap which is removable to permit the outer container to expand into sealing position in a groove.

On the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the pavement containing the groove former in position to form a groove between two slabs of pavement.

FIG. 2 is a view of a container or outer cover of the groove former in position to receive the compressible, inner elastic part thereof.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a compression member or seal which may be inserted into the container of the groove former.

FIG. 4 is a transverse, central view of the container showing the same held in position to receive the compression member and showing a cap above the container.

FIG. 5 is a view of the groove former with the sides pressed toward each other and the locking cap in position to hold the sides in this compressed position.

The pavement joint may be of any usual or suitable construction that shown being between two pavement slabs 9 and 10 between which a center plate 12 of any suitable construction is positioned. The center plate is held in its operative relation between the two slabs by means of a pair of cooperating supports lid and 15 having legs resting on the subgrade of the pavement for supporting the center plate in correct relation to the two pavement slabs. A pavement of other-suitable construction may be employed if desired.

My improved groove former includes an outer container or shell which includes two opposite sides 17 and 13 which may be made of any suitable, relatively rigid, tough material such, for example, as a plastic composition designated as white rigid vinyl. These two sides are integrally connected at their lower ends as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and form a downwardly extending fin 20. These sides are preferably provided with upwardly extending ribs or projections 22 on opposite sides thereof which project upwardly at an inclination from the sidewalls l7 and I8 and serve to prevent the upward move ment or floating of the joint former in the wet concrete, and also lock the sidewalls l7 and 18 to the adjoining blocks of concrete.

The container or shell is constructed to contain a suitable elastic filler or expanding member 25 which is inserted into the container while the two sidewalls l7 and 1d thereof are spread out at their upper ends as shown in FIG. 2 so as to permit an expansible filler or sealing member 25 to be inserted into the container. This sealing member may be of any suitable material which can be compressed from opposite sides and which when compression on the same is released will expand laterally toward its former position. This sealing member may be similar to the one shown in my US. Pat. No. 3,324,775, in which construction however the sealing member is positioned in a groove so that the sides of the sealing member contact directly with the sides of the groove. In the construction of this application the sealing member is compressed into the container so as to fill the same while the sides 17 and it are spread apart. For this purpose the downwardly extending fin 20 of the container may be inserted into a groove 29 in a form or holder 30 which may be of any rigid material. The fin 20 of the container is inserted into the groove 29 so that the container will be held in upright position with the upper ends of the sidewalls spaced apart to permit the insertion of the expanding member into the same. This expanding or sealing member 25 is forced into the container so as to fill the same while the sidewalls l7 and lb extend outwardly from each other, as shown in FIG. 2. To facilitate the insertion ofthe seal into the container the inner surfaces of the walls 17 and 18 are coated with a suitable adhesive which facilitates the insertion into the container while the adhesive is wet but which also holds the seal or expanding member in the container when dry. However, after the expansible sealing member has been pressed into the container between the two walls thereof, the two walls are pressed toward each other to compress the expanding member within the container. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a compression press having two bars 31 which may be moved toward each other to move the sides 17 and 18 of the container toward each other.

The two walls l7 and T8 are then held in such position by means of a cap 32. This cap in the construction shown is provided at opposite sides thereof with downwardly and upwardly extending flanges 34 which are formed at opposite sides of a top wall 36. These flanges have parts which extend downwardly toward each other and are adapted to fit into recesses 3d formed on the upper edges of the sidewalls l7 and N5 of the container. The top wall 36 of the cap is made sufficiently elastic so that when the upper ends ofthe flanges of the cap are pressed toward each other the lower parts of these flanges will be separated from each other so as to readily fit into the recesses 33 of the sidewalls of the container. When the pressure on the upper ends of the flanges 34 of the cap is released, the lower edges of the flanges will move toward each other so that the cap will fit on the upper ends of the walls 17 and lb into the recesses, as shown in FIG. I and will consequently hold these walls in substantially parallel relation to each other and also hold the sealing member between the walls in compressed condition. The upper walls of the recesses 38 are slightly inclined outwardly so as to hold the caps in place thereon, butthese inclinations will not prevent the lifting of the caps when it is desired to do so. The sidewalls of the container move outwardly to engage the sides of the groove.

The groove former is then ready to be inserted into the plastic concrete to form a groove between the two pavement slabs 9 and lltll, as shown in FIG. l. While the cap is in this position as shown in FIG. I, the upper surface of the pavement may be luted, as is customary, and the cap during the luting will be pressed downwardly to be level with the upper surface of the pavement. This cap may have the flanges 34 thereof inclined outwardly so as to form bevelled surfaces 40 at the upper edges of the two slabs of the pavement. The groove former is then held in place in the pavement until the same has become set or hardened, whereupon the cap 32 can be readily removed from the upper walls 17 and lb of the containerby merely pulling the same upwardly, thus permitting the sidewalls l7 and 118 to move outwardly into contact with the sidewalls of the groove, being compressed against the sides of the groove by means of the sealing or expansible member 25. When the container is opened by removing the cap the seal 25 will be securely held in the container by means of the adhesive applied to the inner surfaces of the walls 17 and 13. It will also be noted that when the cap is removed the upper ends of the two walls 117 and T8 of the container will be positioned slightly below the surface of the pavement, as desired.

The holding of the groove forming member in correct relation to the center plate may be effected in any suitable manner, for example, a clamp 50 may be employed which has two upwardly extending legs 51 and 52 which are spaced apart to receive between them the downwardly extending fin 20. The lower part of the clamp is provided with two legs 53 and 54 which are yieldingly urged toward each other and when pressed downwardly on the upper part of the center plate, the legs 53 will extend on the outside of the bead 56 of the center plate and the other leg M will extend inwardly toward the interior of this bead. To facilitate the separating of legs 53 and 54, one of said legs, 53 for example, is made longer than leg 54. By means of this clamp the groove former will be securely held in relation to the center plate. Preferably the clamp is formed to receive the fin of the groove former without having it extend to the bottom of the space between these legs, and also the two legs 53 and 54 are spaced somewhat below the middle portion of the clamp so that during the luting of the pavement the groove former can be pressed downwardly as may be required to have the upper part of the groove former in correct relation to the upper surface of the pavement.

It is also possible to hold the fin of the groove former in the pavement material against floating upwardly by providing the fin with holes 60 arranged at intervals lengthwise of the fin so that the plastic conerete entering into the hole 60 will prevent the groove former from moving upwardly, due to the floating action of the groove former in the liquid concrete.

The construction described has the advantage that the groove former not only forms grooves in concrete or other paving material but also in remaining in the grooves after the paving material has hardened, the groove former forms a seal in the groove between the pavement slabs.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principal and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A groove forming device comprising an outer container of a relatively rigid plastic material,

a resilient sealing member in said container and compressed laterally by said container whereby said device can be employed for forming a groove between two slabs of pavement,

and a cap which is removably secured to the upper edges of the sides of said container to hold said sealing member in compressed condition,

said cap having upwardly extending flanges which extend to the surface of the pavement above said sealing member to position said sealing member when released from said cap, below the surface of the pavement,

said cap being a strip of material having flanges at opposite sides thereof which extend above and below said strip, the

upper portion of said flanges being compressible toward each other to spread apart the lower portions of said flanges to enable them to extend over the upper edges of said sides when said upper sides have been pressed toward each other,

the longitudinal middle portion of said cap being flexible to permit the lower edges of said flanges to be spread apart for engagement with said sides when the upper sides have been pressed toward each other. 2. A groove forming device according to claim 1 in which said outer container is made of white rigid vinyl.

3. A groove forming device according to claim 1 and including a downwardly extending fin formed integral with said outer container and having holes arranged at intervals therein and extending through the same to permit concrete to enter said holes to prevent upward floating of said forming device in wet concrete.

4. A groove forming device comprising an outer container ofa relatively rigid plastic material, l

a resilient sealing member in said container and compressed laterally by said container whereby said device can be employed for forming a groove between two slabs of pavement and a cap which is removably secured to the upper edges of said sides of said container to hold said sealing member in compressed condition,

said cap also having upwardly extending flanges which extend to the surface of the pavement above said scaling member to position said sealing member, when released from said cap, below the surface of the pavement, a fin extending downwardly from the opposite sides of said container,

a center plate embedded in said pavement,

a clamp having upwardly extending legs yieldingly extending toward each other to grip said center plate, one of said legs being longer than the other to facilitate separating said legs.

5. A groove forming device according to claim 4 in which the center plate has a longitudinally extending bead,

said downwardly extending legs having curved parts formed thereon to engage opposite curved faces of said bead to hold said clamp and said groove forming devices against upward movement. 

1. A groove forming device comprising an outer container of a relatively rigid plastic material, a resilient sealing member in said container and compressed laterally by said container whereby said device can be employed for forming a groove between two slabs of pavement, and a cap which is removably secured to the upper edges of the sides of said container to hold said sealing member in compressed condition, said cap having upwardly extending flanges which extend to the surface of the pavement above said sealing member to position said sealing member when released from said cap, below the surface of the pavement, said cap being a strip of material having flanges at opposite sides thereof which extend above and below said strip, the upper portion of said flanges being compressible toward each other to spread apart the lower portions of said flanges to enable them to extend over the uppEr edges of said sides when said upper sides have been pressed toward each other, the longitudinal middle portion of said cap being flexible to permit the lower edges of said flanges to be spread apart for engagement with said sides when the upper sides have been pressed toward each other.
 2. A groove forming device according to claim 1 in which said outer container is made of white rigid vinyl.
 3. A groove forming device according to claim 1 and including a downwardly extending fin formed integral with said outer container and having holes arranged at intervals therein and extending through the same to permit concrete to enter said holes to prevent upward floating of said forming device in wet concrete.
 4. A groove forming device comprising an outer container of a relatively rigid plastic material, a resilient sealing member in said container and compressed laterally by said container whereby said device can be employed for forming a groove between two slabs of pavement and a cap which is removably secured to the upper edges of said sides of said container to hold said sealing member in compressed condition, said cap also having upwardly extending flanges which extend to the surface of the pavement above said sealing member to position said sealing member, when released from said cap, below the surface of the pavement, a fin extending downwardly from the opposite sides of said container, a center plate embedded in said pavement, a clamp having upwardly extending legs yieldingly extending toward each other to grip said center plate, one of said legs being longer than the other to facilitate separating said legs.
 5. A groove forming device according to claim 4 in which the center plate has a longitudinally extending bead, said downwardly extending legs having curved parts formed thereon to engage opposite curved faces of said bead to hold said clamp and said groove forming devices against upward movement. 